[potlaravi]

Originally Posted by cprasant

Hi,

Thanks all for the updates posted so far on this topic.

I have travelled this distance and back last week. I left Hyd at 1430 hrs with an aim to reach Ananthpur by night fall. I had planned to break the journey since I was doing this for the first time and I have a kid (10 months) and didn't know how he would take it. The road condition is generally good through out barring the countless diversions and the heavy traffic from Hyd to Kurnool. I got to Ananthpur by 2300 hrs with about an hours break in between. I then got onto the road early next morning and reached B'lore by lunch time. Again generally a good road except a few patches before & after Penukonda.

The worst part of the road was the countless (again) speed breakers. I prefer to call them suspension breakers. It slows you down drastically.

For the return journey, I did it in one go. Left B'lore @ 0500 hrs and was @ home by 1900 hrs with a couple of hours break.

Prasant,
Thanks for updating. Hope this will help me lot for next month Bangalore trip.By the way which car u did the route?

[cprasant]

Originally Posted by potlaravi

Prasant,
Thanks for updating. Hope this will help me lot for next month Bangalore trip.By the way which car u did the route?

Hi,

I have a Corsa Sail 1.4. I also averaged about 15 km to a litre of petrol. It was fully loaded (4 adults & 2 children and luggage). That reminds me, I had also got a roof top carrier fitted.

The roof top carrier is a story in itself. No shop in Hyderabad was even willing to give it a try. As soon as I asked for it they only had one answer, "nahi milega" . The size is the same as the Maruti Zen (old model). I then started asking for that and ultimately got one. To my horror even this one was about 2 inches wider than that required. I had to fit it nevertheless and did so by forcing the brackets on the roof railing. The clamps were OK.

Hope the information is useful.

[kutlee]

thanks for the update. There are numerous diversions. could you please tell more about the speed breakers? when i did the trip last time, there weren't that many speed bumps.

[cprasant]

Originally Posted by kutlee

thanks for the update. There are numerous diversions. could you please tell more about the speed breakers? when i did the trip last time, there weren't that many speed bumps.

Hi,

There are speed breakers before & after all the railway line corssings. And some of these are really nasty. You would not miss them since the highway has sufficient warings and road signs.

Then the road between Devanhalli & BIA also has them at all the intersections (surprisingly ahead of one odd traffic signal too). They also do not have road signs or warnings of these.

[kutlee]

thanks prasanth, i know those ones. i was wondering whether there are new ones due to road works. i am releived now.
those level cross ones are really nasty and i take them dead slow. there aren't many level crosses <10 i guess.
you are right about the ones that appear nearing blore. one took me by surprise and i jumped!! nothing happened really. second time on, i was careful nearing Blore.

[hvkumar]

The worst sections are from the AP border (Bagepalli) to Dodballapur towards Bangalore. I found the AP sections quite OK.

[akroy]

Originally Posted by hvkumar

The worst sections are from the AP border (Bagepalli) to Dodballapur towards Bangalore. I found the AP sections quite OK.

Bagepalli to Chikaballapur to be precise

That was a typo from Kumar ji

Abhi

[varghesepaul]

Hello All:

I am driving down with family from Hyderabad to Bangalore tomorrow morning. Any updates on this route?. I hope the roads have improved. Any areas that i should be watchful of?.

Any updates will be highly appreciated.

Thanks
Varghese

[kittigadu]

Varghese,
Hope you have done this route on 16Th, How is the road condition now. Planning to go driving on 25Th. What is the average time of journey and other things to make note of.

Regards,
Krishna.

[smsrini]

3rd Jan:

Hyderabad to Kurnool: Most of the 4 laning is over, 80% of the diversons are gone. Very good tarmac. some bad stretches 20kms before kurnool.

Kurnool to Ananthapur: Good single carriageway upto 30kms before Ananthapur.

Ananthapur to Penukonda: Bad roads. not maintained at all.

Penukonda to Chikaballapur: Mostly complete, but single carriageway with oncoming traffic.

took 10hrs with a 40min delay at Kurnool due to an accident on the bridge and a 30min lunch break.

[kutlee]

thanks srini. releived to know that atleast some of the diversions are gone.

[Torqy]

Just came back from Hyderabad. Roads are mostly good. 600 km took around 11 hrs including 1 hr break.
Diversions can eat into your average speed....and your lifespan, if not careful. Saw atleast 8 accidents and ALL NASTY ones. Truck , Bus, Maruti Van, Scorpio, Zen. All of them crumpled beyond recognition. Night drive on this route is a definite NO NO.

Lost way while coming back. After Anantpur (..or was it Gooty) , instead of taking the left at the Y-fork, i took the right one and ended up in HINDUPUR!! BAD BAD roads till 18 km from Doddaballapur and then its beautiful all the way till Bangalore.

I guess once the 4-laning is complete, BLR-HYD should become an 8 hr drive...for slow coaches like me.

[bblost]

Thanks for the update Torqy.
I am doing this route on Thursday.

[sriturl]

Originally Posted by bblost

Thanks for the update Torqy.
I am doing this route on Thursday.

thanks for the updates. I was about to ask this information, but found Torqy and Srini's updates useful.
bblost. Please update of any surprises to take care of.
I am planning a early Feb journey to Hyd.

[vnabhi]

Originally Posted by kittigadu

Varghese,
Hope you have done this route on 16Th, How is the road condition now. Planning to go driving on 25Th. What is the average time of journey and other things to make note of.

Regards,
Krishna.

From my experience, Varghese only asks for information, but does not reciprocate. I shared hvk's route guide to Goa with him in early October, and requested him for an update after his travel. I have not got it so far.